The Last Night
by Lora Kael
Summary: She is alone and sad, but not for long.


The Last Night

Mara lay staring into the darkness. She couldn't sleep and didn't really want to either. Soon, soon it was all gonna be over and she had so much she wanted to change now that she lay in her cell. _Where did I go wrong? Why did this happen to me?_ The questions kept repeating themselves in her mind and she could not find peace. She realized now she had never truly been able to find peace and there was nobody that cared about that. At least there was nobody to miss her; it was both a comforting and depressing thought at the same time.

She heard a small noise from the other side of the door and felt his presence just before the door retreated into the ceiling.

She sat up as he entered the dark cell and the door closed behind him.

"Hello, Mara," he said in a gentle quiet voice.

"What are you doing here?" Her voice sounded more resigned to her fate than anything else.

"I have come to sit the night and waiting time out with you," he said in that quiet voice. "To be your company."

Mara stared at him. _The man I tried to kill has come to wait with me and keep me company?_ "Are you serious?" she said in almost a whisper. She hadn't expected anyone to come and especially not him.

"If this is your last night you shouldn't be alone," he said gentle as he walked the few steps to her bed and made a hand motion to it. "May I sit?"

"Yes," Mara responded still surprised he would come to visit her. She studied his face as best she could in the dark; it was calm and had that same quiet notion to it as his voice. And perhaps a hint of sadness? She couldn't be sure.

"Why are you really here, Skywalker? Why should you care if I spend my last night alone?" she said tiredly.

"Because I care for all living and believe you have changed in your heart. I am here to help you find peace, Mara." His voice was sincere and she really wanted to believe him.

Mara sighed resigned. "I have never known peace; what does it matter that I have it now?" She felt tears pressing in her eyes, but refused to let them spill.

"It makes the whole difference," he said gently. "I hope for you that just for once in your life you will find peace in your heart and soul and I will do what is in my power to give that peace to you."

Now the tears were filling up her eyes though she wasn't sure he could see it in the darkness of her cell. Even with her limited powers she could feel the warmth and acceptance flowing from him.

He gently took one of her hands between his own. "It's alright, Mara. You're safe with me; just let it out."

And she finally gave up her pretences and let her tears fall freely and quietly. He gently embraced her and rode her stormy emotions of fear and regret with her and at the same time sended feelings of warmth and acceptance back to her.

"Don't leave me," she whispered into his shoulder. "Please, don't leave me alone." She had never begged anyone of anything, but now she didn't care; all she knew was that she didn't want to be alone.

"I won't," he replied quietly. "Not now, not when the day come. I'll stay with you till the end." Mara squeezed her eyes shot when he mentioned the day she dreaded.

"Just take it away. I can't stand the loneliness anymore."

"I will."

She felt a small tinge of fear and surprise when he pulled away from her, but he didn't pull completely out of the embrace. Instead he pulled out so he could look into her tear filled eyes and slowly and gently kissed her.

Mara was so surprised she stopped crying. Instead she savored the feeling of his kiss and suddenly she felt very grateful he had come here tonight.

He continued to give her those sweet gentle kisses and slowly laid her back down on the none too soft bed. But that didn't matter now. All that mattered to her was Luke's gentle kisses as he kissed her cheeks, forehead, chin, nose, throat and neck, every part of her skin that was exposed to the air. She ran a hand slowly through his hair; it felt soft and smooth to her touch.

Finally she lifted herself up enough to once again meet his lips with hers.

"Stay with me," she whispered into his ear. She was desperate for his touch and caring, knowing that no one else cared, and afraid he would leave her in the dark.

He nodded and she felt his hair and cheek brush hers. Then he silently pulled away from her and let is cloak fall to the floor. His eyes never left hers as he loosened his tunic and pulled it off. Something stirred in Mara and she slowly stood and pulled off her plain jumpsuit as he removed his trousers.

As they sat on the bed again Luke once more took her in his arms and they kissed passionately. He laid her down and touched her with feather light loving caresses and kissed her everywhere. Mara let her hands run through his hair and over his back. His warmth filled her and surrounded her lifting the stone of coldness from her heart.

She closed her eyes as tears of relief and happiness filled them. _I have never felt love and now, on my last night, I have been blessed to feel it at last._ She thought she finally understood what love was as Luke moved slowly in her and kissed her passionately.

He didn't leave her afterwards. Instead he lay by her side his body pressed to hers and for the first time she felt at peace, his arms around her in a loving embrace and the feel of his slow breath on her neck. She couldn't remember a time she had ever felt relaxed, safe and peaceful, but she felt all of those things now. And love, love for the man she had tried to kill in what seemed an eternity ago. _I only wish I had seen the truth sooner,_ she thought. _Before it came to this._ She knew it would be over in a few hours; morning was approaching and by the afternoon she would be gone, but that didn't scare her anymore. She had the memory of this night to carry her through the day and into death.

_This last night was for loving and for my love I will meet my destiny without fear, with peace._ Lying in his warm embrace she let sleep take her no longer afraid of loosing her last time. She was safe.


End file.
